Apparatus for treating ribbon and ropeshaped goods with a treating fluid



Oct. 16, 1962 E. HABLUTZEL ETAL 3,058,327

APPARATUS FOR TREATING RIBBON AND ROPE-SHAPED GOODS WITH A TREATING FLUID Filed Jan. 31, 1957 k 2 Sheets-Sheet J.

.33 1 2 3 INVENTORSI E. HABLUTZE'L J. L. HAEUSERMANN- Act/ 1962 E. HABLUTZIEL ET AL 3,058,327

APPARATUS FOR TREATING RIBBON AND ROPE-SHAPED GOODS WITH A TREATING FLUID Filed Jan. 31, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: E. HABLUTZEL J. L. HAEUSERMANN 3,658,327 APPARATUS FOR TREATENG REBEON AND RGPE- SHAPED GGSDS WITH A TREATING FLUID Emil Hahiiitzei and .lakob Louis Haeuscrmann, Wintertiiur, Switzerland, assignors to Maschinenfabrik Benninger A.-G., Uzwii, Switzerland Filed Jan. 31, E57, Ser. No. 637,442 Claims priority, application Switzerland Feb. 3, 1956 i1 Claims. (Ci. 68-5) The present invention relates to a machine for the treating, such as dyeing, bleaching, cleaning, washing and steaming of ribbon or rope-like goods and more particularly of textile goods, with a treating fluid such as a dyers bath, bleaching agents, cleaning-, washingor steamingmeans contained in a container through which the goods are continuously passed. The term treating or treatment as used here in connection with the goods is to be understood in its widest sense so as to include for example the fixing of dyes on the goods or the setting of the shape of the goods (heator thermo-fixing). The term ribbon and rope-like goods as used here also includes for example foils or strings made of synthetic materials etc.

In the heretofore known machines of the above-mentioned type, the tank or container in which the treatment is effected is constructed so that the pressure therein is equal to the pressure on the outside, which in most of the cases is equal to atmospheric pressure. Generally, for example in dyeing machines, the treating container or tank is an open trough or tube into which the goods to be treated are fed from the one side and from which they are guided away on the other side.

In contradistinction thereto the present invention provides a construction in which this container is constituted as a closed pressure container or tank and is provided with at least a guiding conduit for guiding the goods to and away from this container or tank, a flow of sealing fluid being maintained in this conduit during operation of the machine. By providing the flowing sealing fluid in said conduit it is possible to obtain and to maintain in the treating container a pressure above the ambient pressure. This permits, when the treating fluid is a liquid, an increase in the working temperature above the boiling point of this liquid at atmosphere pressure without evaporation of the liquid. For example, when the machine is used as a dyeing machine the dyeing may be effected at a temperature of about 110 C. In many processes, for example in dyeing, this gives a more durable effect to the treatment. In other cases the same effect obtained in machines at a lower working temperature may be obtained in a machine according to the invention in a shorter treating time so that the output of the machine may be increased.

Heretofore, for example in the dyeing art, the dyers bath could be maintained, during operation, above the boiling point corresponding to atmospheric pressure only in machines in which a part of the goods were brought into a pressure container closable by means of a cover, this container being closed after the goods to be treated were brought into it. The disadvantage of these machines is that they do not permit continuous passing of the goods therethrough.

There are other machines known in which the goods are continuously guided through a treating container under a pressure greater than atmospheric. In these machines the inlet and outlet ports for the goods are sealed by means of U-shaped liquid columns or by means of straight liquid columns disposed above the treating container and working by means of static pressure. These means necessitate a substantially taller construction than for a pressureless machine if the necessary static pressure is to be attained by the columns.

Patented Oct. 16, 1962 ire In a preferred embodiment of the machine according to the present invention the cross-sectional form of the guiding conduit or conduits is adapted to the goods to be treated in such a way that the conduit closely surrounds the goods, a sealing fluid harmless for the goods to be treated being passed through the conduits. In some cases one guiding conduit only may be sufiicient for feeding the goods into the treating container and for guiding them away therefrom, respectively, if the feed and discharge roller are arranged at a small distance from one another. Generally, however, a construction with separate inlet and outlet conduits will be preferred. In the machine according to the invention the flow of the sealing fluid causes a dynamic, namely a hydrodynamic or aerodynamic resistance as the case may be, capable of maintaining the pressure difference between the two ends of the conduit.

It is a further object of the invention to provide at least a nozzle in the guiding conduit or conduits, this nozzle having its opening directed opposite to the direction of flow of the sealing fluid, a flow of a counter-pressure fluid being maintained through said nozzle or nozzles during operation. This nozzle produces a dynamic or counterpressure in the flowing sealing fluid. The higher pressure in the treating container is partly taken up by this counter pressure so that under otherwise identical conditions it is possible to provide a shorter conduit or to reduce the quantity of the sealing fluid flowing per unit time. If the length of the conduit and the flow are made equal to constructions without counterpressure nozzles, the difference between the pressures in the treating container and at the outside thereof may be increased. Preferably the counter-pressure fluid is a part of the sealing fluid itself, fed through the counter-pressure nozzle.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a construction in which the treating fluid contained under pressure in the container itself is used as sealing fluid. By this arrangement parts of the apparatus may be omitted which otherwise would be necessary to prevent a mixing of the sealing fluid with the treating fluid. As this fluid is constantly circulated its homogeneity is effectively maintained.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collecting container for the fluid leaving the treating container, the collecting container being connected to said guiding conduit, a return pipe, into which is connected a circulating pump for maintaining the over-pressure in the treating container, being connected between said collecting container and the treating container. If use is made of a liquid sealing and treating fluid this sump is preferably a closed container and a cushion of inert gas is maintained in this container above the sealing and treating liquid. If, for example, an oxygen-sensitive treating fluid, for example vat dye baths, are used this cushion of inert gas, preferably nitrogen, keeps the oxygen of the air away from the dye.

In a further modification of the machine according to the present invention intended for use with liquid sealing and treating fluids, a cushion of compressed gas is maintained above the sealing and treating liquid in a closed collecting container. By this means, as with the use of counter-pressure nozzles and counter-pressure fluid, it is also possible to reduce the length of the conduits, the quantity of the sealing and treating liquid per time unit, or to increase the difference between the treating pressure and the ambient pressure.

It is a further object of the present invention, to provide a cooling device for the fluid leaving the treating container, when use is made of liquid sealing and treating fluid. The fluid, i.e. the sealing and treating liquid may then easily be brought from the higher treating temperature to a lower temperature below the boiling point at atmospheric pressure over a relatively short distance, i.e. in the conduit, so that this liquid does not boil in the storage container. In a further modification of the machine according to the invention, in which a steam generator is used for example for heating the dyers bath, the feed water for this steam generator may be used as a cooling agent in said cooling device previous to its entering the steam generator. The heat energy of the treating fluid is then gained back resulting in a further economy in the working of the machine.

In a further modification of the machine according to the invention a heating device is provided for the fluid flowing into the treating container. If a steam generator is used the steam produced thereby may advantageously be used as a heating agent in this device.

Finally a further object of the invention resides in providing the conduit or the conduits with sealing labyrinths which are particularly advantageous when a vaporous sealing fluid is used.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description now to follow of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example, and in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic section through a part of a dyeing machine constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a corresponding section through another embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 3 shows the left-hand portion of a third, and 7 FIGURE 4 the left-hand portion of a fourth construction.

FIGURES 5 to illustrate details of modified embodiments partly on an enlarged scale.

In the drawings reference numeral 1 designates a treat ing container in which there are positioned several guideor reversing rollers 2 for ribbonor rope-like goods 3 to be dyed. The container contains a dye bath 4. An inlet conduit 5 and an outlet conduit 6 for the goods 3 open into the container at the top thereof and these guiding conduits 5 and 6 communicate with a collecting container 7 adapted to collect the dye bath coming from container 1 and also serving as a sealing fluid. The treating container 1 is closed while the collecting container 7 is open. Rollers 9 and 10 are positioned in the upper part of the collecting container 7 and these rollers serve to guide the goods 3 to and away from the container 1. A return pipe '11 leads from the collecting container 7 to the bottom of the treating container 1 and in this pipe there are connected a centrifugal pump 12 and a heating device 13.

During operation of the machine the dye bath 4 in the container 1 is maintained at a temperature of about 105- 130" C. and held under an absolute pressure of about 1.53, this pressure being maintained by pump 12. Thus the dye bath 4 does not boil, but flows through the guiding conduits 5 and 6 into the collecting container 7 where it cools down. The superatmospheric pressure in the container 1 is taken up by the dynamic resistance to the flow of current in the conduits resulting from the 'viscosity of the dye bath. In the container 7 the dye bath temperature is down to 95 C. and it is at atmospheric pressure so that no boiling occurs in container 7. From container '7 the bath follows pipe 11 in order to return into the container '1 and on the way thereto it is again heated to the working temperature of 10 5 C. or more by the heating device 13.

At the beginning of the treatment it is possible to heat up the dye bath 4 in the container 1 to the boiling temper'ature corresponding to the atmospheric pressure without operating the pump 12. For a further increase of the temperature it is necessary to start the pump 12 in order to bring the bath 4 in the container 1 to a pressure at least corresponding to the vapor pressure at the treating temperature. In stopping the machine the reverse process is followed, i.e. the bath is cooled with the pump running until it reaches a temperature which is lower than the boiling temperature corresponding to the atmospheric pressure, and during further cooling the pump 12 may be stopped. If a vaporous treating and sealing fluid is used the superatmospheric pressure in the container is produced at the start of operating by feeding the vapor to the container, and ceases when the machine is stopped, when the vapor is no longer fed.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 2 the guiding conduits 5 and 6 have extensions 15 and 16 respectively, extending into the treating container 1. The ends of the conduits 15, 16 project into pressure sluices or locks 17 and 18 separated from the central treating chamber 19 by walls 20 and 21, respectively. The other ends of the locks are formed by the walls 22, 23, respectively, of the container 1. A return pipe 11, a pump 12 and a heating device 13 are associated with each lock. The lock liquid simultaneously serves as sealing liquid for the conduits 5 and 6 which are traversed by this liquid in the direction from the container 1 to container 7 and are sealed thereby. The goods 3 are guided into the lock 17, over a roller 24, then out of the lock 17 over a roller 25 positioned above the separation wall 20 and into the treating chamber 19. They leave the latter over a roller 26 positioned above the separation wall 21 and are guided into the lock 18 in which they are guided over a roller 27. Between the rollers 25 and 26 on the one hand, and the upper ends of the separating walls 20 and 21 and the upper wall 28 of the treating container, on the other hand, only small interstices are left so that the rollers 25 and 26 effectively seal the treating chamber 19 from the locks. In the container 1 and more particularly in the chamber 19 there is a vaporous treating means for example a fixative for dyes. The embodiment according to FIGURE 2 is particularly convenient for use with vaporous treating fluids.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 3 and which is also adapted particularly for use in connection with vaporous treating means, the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit (not shown, but which is identical with the inlet conduit) comprise sealing labyrinths 30 along which vaporous treating fluid from the container 1 flows into the collector 7' shown here as a closed container so that the container 1 is sealed.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 4 in which a liquid treating fluid is also used as sealing fluid, the inlet conduit 5 and the outlet conduit (not shown) at the other end of container 7 are guided through a cooling device 32, while the return pipe 11 traverses heating devices 33 and 34. Thus the liquid leaving the container 1 is cooled and the liquid fed to this container is heated. The cooling device 32 and the heating device 33 are connected together with the pump 35 into one circuit 36 for the heat transfer means, which through the cooling device 32 takes heat away from the sealing and treating liquid in the inlet and outlet conduit and which returns heat to this liquid through the heating device 33 prior to the liquid entering the container 1. Additional heat is added by the heating device 34, while the circuit is additionally cooled by a pre-cooler 37.

In the arrangement of FIGURE 4 a steam generator (not shown) which may also be used for other purposes, is associated with the machine. By means of this generator it is possible to heat the treating liquid in the container 1 by passing steam through heating coils in the container. For a superatmospheric pressure of about 1.7 atmospheres this liquid is heated for example to a temperature of 120 C. When it enters the cooler 32 the heat transfer medium in circuit 36 has a temperature of about C. so that the liquid in conduit Sis cooled to about C. Thus in container 7 where it is under atmospheric pressure the liquid does not boil. The heat transfer medium is heated in the cooler to a temperature of about and arrives at this temperature in the heating device 33 through which the treating and sealing liquid is passed through the conduits 11 and pump 12. There too this liquid has a temperature of about 95 C. so that it is heated by the heat transfer means. Moreover it is further heated by the heating device 34 to such an extent that it again has the working temperature of 120 C. when it enters container 1. The heat transfer medium in circuit 36 leaves the heating device at a temperature of about 100 C., is thereafter cooled in the pre-cooler 37 to a temperature of about 85 C. and arrives thereafter in the cooler 32 from which the same circuit is repeated.

The cooling fluid passing through conduit 33 to the precooler 37 is the feed water for the steam generator, while the heating fluid for the heating device 34 passing the conduit 39 is the steam produced by this steam generator.

Of course the heat taken away by cooler 32 may also be used somewhere else and the heat fed to the heating devices 33, 34 may come from other sources.

In the embodiment according to FIGURE the inlet and outlet conduits are constituted by several successive parts 4ti43 which extend in different directions, a guide or reversing roller 44 being arranged at each transition point between two successive parts. When tension-sensitive goods are being handled, these rollers are preferably drive-n. In this manner conduits of great effective length may be obtained and the vertical dimension of the apparatus can be kept to a minimum.

In the modified embodiment according to FIGURE 6 the conduits contain pairs of opposed rollers 47-48 between which the goods are squeezed when entering and leaving the container 1, respectively. The roller pairs nearly fill out the whole cross-section of the conduit so that only a small gap remains between the rollers and the walls of the conduits. There is thereby attained a sort of multiple lock or labyrinth seal in the conduit in which the pressure decreases from chamber to chamber. This results in a good sealing action in spite of the fact that at these points the conduit does not closely surround the goods 3.

A further modification is obtained by arranging roller groups each consisting of three rollers 49, 50, 51 in the conduits as shown in FIGURE 7. The goods 3 run towards the container 1 between the rollers 49, 5t), and when leaving the container are guided between the rollers 56', 51. Only one guiding conduit 5' isthus used in this embodiment, which conduit simultaneously serves as the inlet and outlet conduit for the goods to be treated. Between the points 52 at which there is arranged a group of squeezing rollers there are provided conduit parts 53 of reduced cross-section in order to improve the sealing action of conduit 5.

The goods may also be fed to the container and guided away from the latter through one conduit only and without use of rollers. The portions of the goods running in opposite directions may in such a case be separated from each other by a film of sealing fluid.

In FIGURE 8 the conduits 5 are further constructed so that each conduit has a pair of nozzles 54 with their openings facing opposite the direction of the flow which in the conduit 5 here illustrated is toward the container 7. A counterpressure fluid, which in the illustrated embodiment can be a part of the liquid sealing and treating fluid itself, is fed into the conduit through the nozzles. The latter are connected by members (not shown) with the treating fluid container 1 or with the lower section of conduit 5.

In the modified embodiment of FIGURE 9 back or counterpressure nozzles 54a are positioned where conduit 5 opens into the collector 7 shown here as a closed container. Other embodiments are possible which have only one nozzle or several nozzles arranged in the conduit one behind the other or in side by side arrangement and directed against the flow.

These constructions are particularly convenient in connection with the use of groups of two or three squeezing rollers whereby the counter-pressure nozzle or nozzles may be arranged between two such groups.

In the modification of the machine shown in FIGURE a cushion 55 of compressed gas is maintained in the closed collecting container 7 above the sealing and treating liquid fed through a conduit 5. The compressed gas is fed through and maintained under pressure from a conduit 56. Its pressure is smaller than the difference between the working pressure in the container 1 and the pressure produced from the resistance to flow in conduit 5 so that, in spite of this cushion 55, the sealing and treating liquid is forced upwardly towards this gas cushion through conduit 5. Thereby, as with the counterpressure nozzles, the length of the conduit or the flow quantity per time unit in the conduit may be reduced or the working pressure and temperature may be increased.

In a further application of a gas cushion in container 7, this cushion is formed by an inert gas, such as for example nitrogen, so that the oxygen from the air is insulated from the treating fluid if for example the latter is an oxygen-sensitive vat dye. Thereby the inert gas may be held under atmospheric pressure or under a high pressure as long as the above cited requirements are fulfilled.

Preferably additions increasing the viscosity, such as for example starch paste, glucose or tragacanth mucilage are added to the treating fluid and more particularly to liquid treating fluids. The sealing action in the conduit is thereby increased so that in analogy with the counterpressure nozzles or with the arrangement of a high cushion in the collecting container it is possible to have a higher pressure and a higher temperature in the treating container or to reduce the length of the conduit and the flow quantity of the fluid per time unit.

Consequently, while we have shown and described what are now thought to be the preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms, expressions and applications. Consequently, we do not limit ourselves to the precise structures shown and described hereinabove, except as hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

1. A machine for treating ribbon and rope-shaped goods with a treating fluid, said machine comprising a closed high pressure container having conduit means connected thereto consisting essentially of fluid inlet condnit means and guiding conduit means for guiding the goods to be treated, a fluid feeding means connected to said fluid inlet conduit means, a collecting container to which said guiding conduit means is connected, said guiding conduit means comprising flow resistance means for providing resistance to treating fluid passing therethrough, and heat transfer means associated with said fluid feeding means, whereby when treating fluid is fed into said high pressure container by said fluid feeding means through said fluid inlet conduit means and goods are guided into and out of said high pressure container through said guiding conduit means, the treatment fluid can flow out of said high pressure container only through said guiding conduit means, and the flow resistance of said guiding conduit means creates a back pressure in said high pressure container.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said guiding conduit means comprises at least one guiding conduit and throttling means active in the zone of said guiding conduit.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said guiding conduit means comprises a guiding conduit closely surrounding the goods.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, in which said guiding conduit means further comprises a nozzle mounted adjacent one end of said guiding conduit, said nozzle having its opening directed against the flow direction of the sealing fluid in the conduit, and means for maintaining flow of counter-pressure fluid through said nozzle during operation of the machine.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said 7 giuiding conduit means comprises means for forming sealing labyrinths. V

6. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said guiding conduit means comprises at least one guiding conduit divided into a plurality of sections succeeding each other and extending in diiferent directions, and a roll in said guiding conduit at each transition point of two adjoining sections of different direction, said roll being for changing the direction of the goods, said roll being snugly enclosed by said guiding conduit.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said fluid feeding means comprises a return pipe connecting the collecting container with the closed high pressure container and a circulating pump in said return pipe for maintaining the pressure in the closed high pressure container and the flow of the treating fluid.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, in Which the collecting container is closed and includes, above the sealing and treating liquid a cushion of inert gas under pressure.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said heat transfer means includes a heating device for the fluid feeding means.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said pressure container includes a lock within the pressure container connected with said guiding conduit means and containing a sealing liquid.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10 in which said pressure container further comprises a Wall between said lock and the remainder of the pressure container, and a guide roller above said Wall for guiding the goods over said Wall.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,029,866 Haskell June 18, 1912 2,115,630 Von Gruber Apr. 26, 1938 2,203,678 Dur-steler June 11, 1940 2,693,689 Hannay Nov. 9, 1954 2,720,443 Keggin Oct. 11, 1955 2,881,797 Clermont April 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 744,418 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1956 1,054,941 France Oct. 14, 1953 

